REGION: Portugal > Dão

One of Portugal's oldest wine regions, the wines of Dão are traditionally tannic and highly oaked but more and more producers are adapting (dare we say improving?) the wines by being more selective in their use of grapes and oak.

Key grapes: Jaen, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz

GRAPE: Tinta Cão

The Portuguese variety Tinta Cão is most frequently encountered in the Douro and Dão. It is a valued component of many Port wines and is considered capable of adding aromatic complexity, finesse and longevity. However it can be unappealingly thin and austere in young wines and is also very low-yielding, making it unattractive to the most commercially-minded winemakers. If you come across a wine that includes Tinta Cão the chances are higher than average that it is thoughtfully made wine from a winemaker with an interest in quality over volume.